At the end of october, I will be embarking on a four week medical elective to Kavieng, Papua New Guinea. PNG is a new country. It gained independence in 1975 and is a member of the Commonwealth. Preindepent government, it was a land with many tribes. There is approximately 850 languages. (EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY!!!!). Around 4.5 million of its 6 million people live in "rural" settings. This combined with the language and cultural issues has made it difficult for them to establish a social framework. The health of people in PNG is quite poor. Life expectancy is hovering just below 60 years. They still suffer from many of the world's terrible, but preventable, diseases. Measles, typhoid, hep, TB, mumps, diptheria are all far too common. PNG is one of four countries around the world which has not decreased mortality in these diseases since like 1980 (the others are Niger, Zambia and...I think Burma). About 15 years ago someone (they think from Indonesia) transmitted HIV/AIDS to a person from PNG. Needless to say, their current health system is not suited to handle all of their problems.
While it's hard to push to the people of PNG, I am firm believer that health is more than the “absence of infirmity”. Good health goes way beyond the doctor’s office or hospital bed. It begins before birth and is affected by a range of factors, some of which are hygiene, nutrition, basic immunizations, exercise and access to potable water. Effective health promotion requires an improvement in health education. As such, I have been in contact with Kavieng’s local surf club and tourism board, as well as the PNG segment of Save The Children Australia, in an attempt to develop or help out with a community based health project. Hopefully, we'll be able to get something going.... A lot of the major NGOs do only brief stints in the area of PNG I am going to, but they are trying to connect us with the locals and small groups that are there. I also just found out yesterday that the Rotary Club of Brisbane, has a scholarship setup to sponsor 3-5 UQ students to go to PNG/samoa/surruonding area for a medical elective. They will pay for flights and make a donation to purchase medical equipment. Hopefully, I'll get that! Me and my friend Dave (who I'm going with) are both going t
o apply and if only one of us gets it, we will split the prize.
Kavieng is the capital city of New Ireland Province, which is the most North- Eastern province in the country. There is one main island and many tiny surrounding ones. (One of which is apparently a volcano visible from Kavieng!!! Should be exciting!) The province has a population of 130000 and the only hospital in the area is the Kavieng District Hospital...which I am going to. It has a obs/gyn ward, surgery and emerge wards spread out over 130 beds. The ends of the island are connected by a 193 kilometer highway. Apparently it makes for a lovely bike trip!
A bit of history.... Wikipedia tells me that have been "at least three waves of migratio
n" to New Ireland.......wait for it...over the last 40, 000 years! At least three! I found that statement funny. Also, during WWII the Japanese were stationed there. The Aussies and Japanese battled it out in many places in North Australia and PNG. There are a few wrecked war sites still remaining but most were either temporary or fully destroyed. The majority of the mainland is mountainous forest with no roads or separate islands. Transport is thus quite tricky. As a result, PNG has 578 airports of which 557 are grass.
I'm quite excited to go!
While it's hard to push to the people of PNG, I am firm believer that health is more than the “absence of infirmity”. Good health goes way beyond the doctor’s office or hospital bed. It begins before birth and is affected by a range of factors, some of which are hygiene, nutrition, basic immunizations, exercise and access to potable water. Effective health promotion requires an improvement in health education. As such, I have been in contact with Kavieng’s local surf club and tourism board, as well as the PNG segment of Save The Children Australia, in an attempt to develop or help out with a community based health project. Hopefully, we'll be able to get something going.... A lot of the major NGOs do only brief stints in the area of PNG I am going to, but they are trying to connect us with the locals and small groups that are there. I also just found out yesterday that the Rotary Club of Brisbane, has a scholarship setup to sponsor 3-5 UQ students to go to PNG/samoa/surruonding area for a medical elective. They will pay for flights and make a donation to purchase medical equipment. Hopefully, I'll get that! Me and my friend Dave (who I'm going with) are both going t
o apply and if only one of us gets it, we will split the prize.Kavieng is the capital city of New Ireland Province, which is the most North- Eastern province in the country. There is one main island and many tiny surrounding ones. (One of which is apparently a volcano visible from Kavieng!!! Should be exciting!) The province has a population of 130000 and the only hospital in the area is the Kavieng District Hospital...which I am going to. It has a obs/gyn ward, surgery and emerge wards spread out over 130 beds. The ends of the island are connected by a 193 kilometer highway. Apparently it makes for a lovely bike trip!
A bit of history.... Wikipedia tells me that have been "at least three waves of migratio
n" to New Ireland.......wait for it...over the last 40, 000 years! At least three! I found that statement funny. Also, during WWII the Japanese were stationed there. The Aussies and Japanese battled it out in many places in North Australia and PNG. There are a few wrecked war sites still remaining but most were either temporary or fully destroyed. The majority of the mainland is mountainous forest with no roads or separate islands. Transport is thus quite tricky. As a result, PNG has 578 airports of which 557 are grass.I'm quite excited to go!
1 comments:
The land of the unexpected. I am sure you will enjoy your time. Try and get out into the really rural areas away from Kavieng and you will be amazed at the people and how well they manage. Don't get frustarted with the lack of services etc but take on the challenge and your whle life will benefit.
I am mentioning this blog in the PNG Gossip Newsletter out on PNG Independence Day. http://www.pnggossip.com/news Perhaps you could provide some small reports for the newsletter?
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